At the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic, most companies shut down for a while. Unless you operate an essential business such as a grocery store, you probably struggled to stay in business during this time of uncertainty. Now, though, businesses are allowed to reopen as long as they follow certain guidelines. As you adjust to the new normal of life during a pandemic, make sure you keep the following preventative measures in place.
1. Protective Barriers
Currently, there is no cure or vaccine for the novel coronavirus. As a result, you must ensure that no one catches the virus at your workplace. To protect your employees, install plexiglass shields wherever possible, such as around your cash registers. Look for a sneeze guard for sale, since this equipment can be repurposed for all environments. Do not allow customers to go around your protective barriers, and clean them several times a day with industrial-grade disinfectant.
2. Face Masks
Face masks are the most important step towards stopping the novel coronavirus’s spread. Everyone in your building needs to wear one at all times; do not let customers enter without masks. They can disposable or made of cloth, but encourage your employees to purchase or make reusable masks. While face shields are a good extra precaution, they should not be worn without masks. Post reminders outside your building and throughout the store that people must have their coverings on, and have employees watch for people whose masks do not cover their noses or chins. Try to avoid escalating a situation into violence, but do not relax your stance on this issue.
3. Sanitization
Place disinfectant wipes next to any equipment that customers share, such as shopping carts and stair railings. Install hand sanitizer dispensers throughout your building, and check them regularly. Follow your county and state guidelines for how often you need to clean doorknobs and bathrooms, but at a minimum, sanitize them every hour. Purchase sanitization supplies well before you start to run low, since most cleaning product manufacturers are experiencing delays right now. Explore local options for disinfectants, since many breweries have begun distilling alcohol for hand sanitizer and other cleaning agents.
Many people want to return to the way things were before the pandemic began, but that is not an option right now. Instead, you need to adapt your business model so that you and your employees can safely return to work.
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